A Son's Talk
by Mary Kleinsmith
Summary: Jess feels the need to talk to someone, so he makes it happen.


A Son's Talk

A little fic for mother's day, dedicated to all the mothers in the fandom and their children. Although the official Mother's Day wasn't first celebrated in the US until about 1908, I figured there may have been local honors held well before that. In my world, Laramie had just such a celebration.

Jess Harper made sure to rise before the rest of the household. It being Sunday, he'd normally have allowed himself to sleep in a bit – at least as long as Slim would allow – but today was special, and he had something on his mind. But despite his love for his Laramie family, this was private.

Having pulled on his clothes and boots, he purposefully forsook his gun belt out of respect. Instead, he donned his gloves and hat and made his way unarmed up the hill, his steps purposeful, until he drew upon the two plots which Slim made sure to keep immaculately groomed and cleaned. He glanced at the more masculine one, knowing that wasn't his intended destination this morning, and instead approached the one with the white fence. He gazed at the headstone for a moment before removing his hat and squatting beside the grave.

"I know I probably should've come up to pay my respects before this, since I been on the ranch so long and all. I ain't got no excuse for it. I just hope you'll forgive me. I know you're probly askin' yourself 'why's he here now?' And that ain't an easy question to answer.

"I guess, first of all, I wanted to tell ya thank you. The way you raised up Slim let him become a man who'd welcome a near-broke drifter onto his ranch when he had no reason whatsoever t'do it. At the time, I was all proud of my independence, but the truth was, if he hadn't taken me in, I know I might not've lived this long. I wasn't exactly on the road to a good, honorable life. Oh, I wasn't no sidewinder, never took a dime that wasn't owed t'me, but the way I made the little money I had didn't 'xactly make people think good'a me. If he hadn't'a hired me on, made me not just a hired hand but a friend… well, you get the idea.

"Now, I ain't makin' no excuses. I done what I had to to make it in a world that wasn't the warm and welcoming place like the Sherman ranch, and I come a long way in my years. Slim talks about ya a lot, and I can see how important you was to him when you were alive, and even now that you've gone. I admit t'not havin' any idea what it's like where you are, but from how Slim talks about ya, I'm sure the big Man upstairs has ya someplace really nice.

"Anyway, 'bout this time I 'magine you're wonderin' what the heck I'm doin' here, talkin' your ear off. Well, the truth is, I had a close call the other day that Slim pulled me out of. And then yesterday he was tellin' me about this day Laramie decided to make special, for honorin' all the moms. I guess it was the town leader's ma's birthday, an' after awhile, people used it as a special day for all the town mas.

"Slim misses ya a lot, and if I could do anythin' for 'm, it would be to bring ya back, but since I know that's outta my power, I just thought I'd talk t'ya and let ya know that I promise to take care of Slim, and Andy too when he's home, just as good as you and Slim's dad would'a.

"So, anyway, I guess that's all I got t'say. I hope ya can hear me, and know that I wanted ta honor ya today. And one more thing, if ya could do me a favor. If ya happen t'see my ma up there…" Jess' voice broke, but he cleared his throat and went on. "If ya happen t'see her, tell her I'm sorry, an' that I love her. Maybe some day, Slim'll help me be someone she can be proud of like I'm sure you're proud of him. And… and that I miss 'er, even after all these years, but that I'm doin' okay.

Jess rose from his squat position with his typical grace. "I guess I'd better get back inside. Slim'll be gettin' up pretty soon, and he'll be wonderin' what I'm doin' if he sees me up here. So thanks for listenin', and I hope ya don't mind if'n I come back again ta bend your ear."

Just as Jess turned away, the clouds broke, the sky opened up to the brightest sunshine, and a beam streamed down onto the two graves. It made Jess smile. "Yeah, got it," he said. And then, with his gloved hands resting on his belt, he turned and walked away. And somewhere in the heavens, two women, a rancher from Wyoming and a farmer from Texas joined hands and smiled at each other, knowing their boys were safe and protected and together.

The End


End file.
